


Defense - Leo/Reader

by Ancientwhitefire



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28858338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ancientwhitefire/pseuds/Ancientwhitefire
Summary: took a while to write this all out (my work ethic is i write the dialogue and then do the dialogue tags and description, and i like doing the dialogue part better because it's faster - and as you can see i had to fill in QUITE a bit)hope you likethis is technically specific to the 2012 tmnt series but i feel like you could technically make it fit anywhere (you know aside from the fact that karai is splinter's daughter and not shredder's)
Relationships: Leo/Reader, Leonardo (TMNT)/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	Defense - Leo/Reader

You were surprised when you came to visit the turtles one day that it was conveniently timed when Karai, also known as Miwa, came to visit and finally meet her biological father. You stared in awe as she strolled through the rotating gates. You backed away, giving the guys a quizzical look, but they kept close to Karai and observed her reactions to the lair. Huffing slightly at how distracted the turtles were, especially Leonardo, you backed off slightly but followed them as the brother announced their presence back home. You were slightly touched as Karai gave Master Splinter a hug, but you were still worried as slightly untrustworthy of her, but smiled slightly for the sake of not making issues with your long-term friends the Hamatos.  
Briefly after the hug everything seemed to return to normal for the lair as the boys went back to training, you were a little ways a way as Master Splinter instructed you to do some katas. You were already quite skilled at boxing and street fighting, but Master Splinter wanted you to gain a more organized way to fight and protect yourself. However, while you were training, you saw how Leonardo was suddenly showing off for Karai as she was the guest viewing how Master Splinter trained his sons and it made you angry, but you couldn’t deny that Leo did look good doing what he did best. The silence was broken when Master Splinter called out, “Yame!” The boys stopped fighting and everyone lined up, except for Karai who was sitting on her knees near her father.  
“Y/N, would you do the honor of sparring with my daughter?” Master Splinter asked as he gestured to his daughter. You look between the two briefly.  
“…Of course, sensei.” You hesitantly bowed. Karai got up from her seat and you two stood a few feet away from each other. You bowed together and while doing so you whispered to her, “let’s not intend to kick the crap out of each other, kay?”  
“All right.” Karai smiled slightly at your remark and you both got into ready positions. Master Splinter announced for you to start and Karai welcomed you to come after her first. At first you approached with some quick kicks that Master Splinter and Leo have perfected with you. She was easy to block but the power in your kicks was evident as you backed off and she took advantage to charge at you this time. She came close to your cheek with her fist and you knocked her arm with your elbow and tried sweeping your leg underneath her to make her fall, but she flipped back. “You’ve improved.” She complimented as she got back into a ready position. You were a little taken aback by her words but tried your best not to show it on your face as you rotated your shoulder a bit.  
“As have you.” You nodded and you both started to charge. As Karai went with a technique closer to her adoptive father’s style, more ruthless and intense, you went with diverging her attacks with simple movements and keeping on your toes without stopping to keep up you energy and hopefully wipe Karai out. As you continued to avoid her strikes at you, you could tell Karai was getting a little frustrated.  
“I still don’t understand your technique.” Karai said mid blow as you grabbed her arm twisted it behind her back and then thrusted her forward.  
“That’s the point.” You smirked as your confidence was rising. She got up with ease and then refocused her mind and got back into the fight. You charged once more and got her focus on counter attacking you as you caught her outstretched leg and pulled it towards you but to the side of your body and was able to jab her in the stomach. Karai knelt on the ground briefly and once again you smirked. “And plot twist, I don’t have a technique. It’s spontaneous.” She stayed down on one knee for longer than you expected until suddenly she got the best of you by pulling you down by the collar of your shirt. While falling, she kneed you in the back and you toppled over onto your stomach, the wind knocked out of you. “Wow, that, that was good.” You grunted as she rubbed your back while getting up on your elbow.  
“Yame.” Master Splinter saw what he needed to and Karai actually outstretched her hand to help you up. You gave her a wary glance but took it nonetheless. You looked at each other and quickly bowed before turning back to your sensei. “That will all for today.” He excused everyone for the time being, Mikey and Raph went to go run to the couch to play some video games, Donnie went right back into his lab, while Master Splinter kept Leo behind to talk for a bit. Karai and you left the dojo and you two went your separate ways. You headed to the kitchen, feeling uneasy and in a serious mood for some tea. You filled up the kettle and left it on the stove. While it was heating, you picked out your favorite tea from Master Splinter’s various selection in the cabinets. You also got an icepack for where Karai kneed you in the back and you leaned in your chair as you let the ice pack work it’s magic. When the kettle was humming the tea was ready, suddenly Karai walked into the kitchen as you got up from your seat. You saw she seemed a bit out of it, maybe shocked by being on the other side of the fight and realizing who her true father was. In order to help her in some way, you decided to start a conversation for her sake.  
“Hey, I just finished boiling some water, want some tea?” You asked as you got out two cups.  
“Tea, that would be nice.” Karai sighed as she took a stool across from you to sit at and you brought over a few packets of tea for her to choose from as you poured the cups. She choose a dragon lily tea bag and you brought her the cup with hot water along with lemon and sugar.  
“Here.”  
“Thanks…” Karai gave you a shy glance before she quickly took the cup to her lips, blew on it, and sipped. She was being unusually quiet and it bugged you.  
“Everything all right?” You asked, Karai hesitated for her next sip, and decided to put her cup down instead. “Did I hit you too hard with that spin kick?”  
“No, that’s not it…” Karai gave a sad excuse for a smiled as she traced the floral designs on the side of the cup. She then took something out of her pocket that you couldn’t quite get a good look at.  
“What a weird looking trinket.” Karai’s eyes widened a bit and she placed it a bit away from her on the table and leaned back a bit.  
“It’s…well…”  
“…What is it?” You were getting antsy, you hated suspense and you also didn’t know what to expect from someone like Karai.  
“It’s something I shouldn’t have.” She mumbled as she looked away a bit, leaving one elbow on the counter and taking another, longer sip of her tea.  
“Is it something of the Foot’s?” You gripped the tea cup you were holding a bit tighter. You tried not to sound too bitter, as you have gotten plenty hurt from running into the Foot Clan, not mention getting occasionally beat up by Karai herself and brutalized by the Shredder.  
“Yes…” She admitted.  
“Well you should hide it before Raph blows a gasket.” You lean back and blow a bit more on you tea.  
“It’s too late for that…” She pocketed the trinket again. Your eyebrows furrowed and you could tell that Karai was going through a lot in her head.  
“What, what do you mean?” Suddenly Karai put down her tea and scooted the wooden chair back from the counter.  
“I need to go.” She quickly began to make her way towards the exit. Knowing Leonardo would be heartbroken over the issue, you rushed after her.  
“Go? You just got here.” You whisper yelled, as to not draw too much attention to yourself or Karai.  
“I don’t belong here. I’m a traitor to my own father.” Karai admitted sadly as she continued to rush towards the subway system.  
“You’re doing right by leaving the Foot—”  
“No, Y/N!” Karai turned on you and yelled, though not meaning to yell at you, she was just sad and angry at the world, but especially at Shredder. You stepped back a bit, and thankfully no one heard you as you were a little ways down the subway from the lair. She took out the trinket she pocketed. “This is a tracking beacon.”  
“You brought that HERE?” You snapped.  
“I KNOW I’m sorry!” Karai yelled back pitifully.  
“Sorry?” You gawked at her. You were so mad, Leo has been working so hard to try and get you here, for Master Splinter’s sake and maybe even his own, and now Karai was ruining his family’s chances at closure and happiness. “How are you going to explain this to the boys? What about Master Splinter?”  
“Old habits never die I guess…” This is when you really started to notice how torn up Karai was over the situation as she was at a sudden fork in the road and she didn’t know what to do. You decided to take pity on her.  
“Look, I’m the only one that knows, right?” She nods and you take a breath as you tighten your fists. “So you still have a chance to make things right.”  
“How?” She asked hopelessly.  
“You have to leave.” You state though with some sadness appearing in your voice. “I’ll hate having to seeing Master Splinter’s face but at least he’ll be happy to know you chose to save him rather than hand him over to Shredder.”  
“You really think he’ll forgive me?” Karai asked hopefully.  
“Knowing him, yes.” You sigh as you rub your neck awkwardly. Karai looked behind her and then beyond where you were standing between her and the lair.  
“Okay.” She nodded after a beat.  
“You have to move now, okay?” You approached her and gripped her hand still holding the tracking device. “Please, don’t let the Foot find us. Shredder has so many resources to move locations if he wanted, Master Splinter doesn’t. This is their home.”  
“I know, that’s why I don’t want to betray him.” Karai nodded as she locked eyes with you.  
“At least that’s good to hear.” You give a half smile, she gives you her best half smile as well. You let go of her hand and she starts to make her way down the subway system.  
“Thank you, for not trying to strangle me.” Karai says over her shoulder.  
“Well you’re lucky you were honest about it when I asked.” You smile as she gives a small smile back. “Now go, I’ll cover.” Karai nods and disappears quickly and you sigh in relief when you can’t hear her footsteps anymore. You began walking briskly but carefully back to the turntables that led into the lair and once you saw everything was undisturbed you just plopped onto the ground and lied on your back, rubbing your eyes in frustration. What on earth were you going to do? How could you break this to Master Splinter? To Leo even? Suddenly you heard quick footsteps heading your way and you jolted up and saw Leo rushing to you.  
“Y/N, are you okay?” He kneeled next to you and placed a hand on your shoulder. He looked at you oddly, you looked like you were dealing with something. He was always good at reading you. “What’s wrong?”  
“N-Nothing, I’m just tired, it’s been a long day…” You sigh as you stand up without him and began walking towards the kitchen again. Leo decided to follow you there. He saw that there were two tea cups sitting on the counter still. You quickly made a move for them and began washing them in the sink quietly. Then he asked the question you pleaded he wouldn’t.  
“Have you seen Karai?” You winced at the happiness and curiosity in Leo’s voice. You turned off the water and gripped the sink counter with your hands, nails slightly digging into the wood.  
“I really shouldn’t answer that.” You mumbled.  
“What?” You turn around but don’t look at him yet. You move some hair out of your face and then meet his eyes and sigh. You squish your eyes close.  
“…She left.” You finally got out. Leo’s eyes bulged under his mask.  
“She what? Why didn’t you stop her?” He came up towards you, more so because he was worried than angry. Being closer to you now made you almost cry as you hated seeing how worried he looked and the desperation to make his family complete for his father. Also to have Karai near by him as they could now be together. Another pull at your heartstrings at that thought.  
“I couldn’t…she was going to betray us.” You turned your head away from him, still back against the sink and you gripping the counter for dear life.  
“You forced her to leave, didn’t you?” Leo got closer to you. “You never liked her!” His green hands were in fists now and you were very afraid as you pealed your eyes open.  
“It’s not that! She had this thing—”  
“She would never do that to Splinter!” Leo didn’t want tot listen to your reasoning, riding it off as an excuse.  
“Well she was going to!” You snapped. Leo looked shocked a bit but not enough to keep him from pressing the issue. You were so angry and sad, Leo had never snapped at you like this. “She had a tracking device that allowed the Shredder to locate her. I told her to leave before he could find the lair!” Once you got that off your chest you felt a bit more relieved, but then you saw his reaction to the truth and the guilt came rushing back.  
“She wouldn’t…” He looked down at his feet, his hands no longer fists as the energy seemed to be wiped from him completely, like you punched him in the gut.  
“I’m telling you she did!” You yelled, why was he suddenly being so thickheaded?  
“I don’t believe you.” He looked at you hard and you almost growled at him.  
“God dammit Leo!” You got off the counter’s edge and that got him to back off of you a bit. “I don’t know what else to tell you!” You have tried to get through to him and obviously it wasn’t working. You then began storming out of the kitchen. “Find out for yourself I’m gone!” As you were headed out the kitchen you saw the brothers had gathered around in shock, one from never seeing you and Leo fight, and two from hearing the news about Karai’s almost betrayal. You could see Master Splinter from the corner of your eye near the dojo, but you couldn’t stand to see his face as you jumped over the turntables and rushed out of the sewers as fast as you could.  
You rushed back to your apartment building and decided as soon as you got into your room to head up the fire escape stairwell near your window and sit outside for a bit, as your room was too small for your heated anger burning inside. You got to the top and sat down on the ledge and watched your feet sway as they dangled over the side. You kept wiping your eyes that threatened to let tears fall, thankfully they didn’t because one tear would lead to a breakdown, and you don’t want to cause a commotion for your building. While you were up there, waiting for the sadness and anger to simmer down, you started ripping up leaves that had fallen onto the rooftop. You would do this when you were happy as a mock “he likes me he likes me not” cliche, since you didn’t have flowers near by, but instead you were just grumbling stuff under your breath.  
“Stupid boy, stupid turtle, stupid ninja clan war.” You let them fall off the building and you picked up a few more. “Stupid Karai, stupid Shredder, stupid stupid STUPID!” You yelled a bit louder and more coherently, suddenly running out of patience and just took the small pile by your side and crumpled them all up and let them go off the edge as well. You shifted your body so one leg was over the edge and one leg was on the rooftop. Doing so, you leaned forward on your elbows in frustration and took a few long breaths, hoping it would help. You then realized you weren’t angry at anyone but yourself. You should’ve confronted Master Splinter on the issue, or maybe you shouldn’t have talked at all to Karai. Then again, where would that have led to? And you don’t blame Leo for yelling at you, it did hurt of course, but you would’ve been mad too if you were in his situation. Besides, Leo really did like Karai, almost as much as you liked him. I guess you just had to face the fact that their Romeo and Juliet story would have to continue and maybe everything will work out for the best later, maybe not for you, but what mattered was that Leo and his family were happy again and had each other.  
“Y/N.” A voice broke your concentration from breathing. You immediately knew it was Leo but for once you couldn’t read his tone of voice, but didn’t care and decided not to look at him as you heard him approach.  
“I don’t want to argue with you anymore, okay?” You switched back to having both legs over the edge so you didn’t have to inkling to check him out from the corner of your eye. “So please, just save it.” You sighed in defeat. Leo stopped shortly, only a foot or two away from where you were sitting. After the pause he joined you on the ledge almost a foot a way and sighed.  
“We found Karai…” He admitted slowly. You lifted your head up from sulking but didn’t look at him directly. “You were right.” That got you to look at her. “Things got really out of hand after you left.” You rolled your eyes and looked forward again.  
“You gonna blame me for more things?” You huff as you turn slightly away from his direction.  
“No, no.” Leo chided as he placed a hand on your shoulder, which you usually greeted warmly but you shrugged him off. “That’s not what I’m saying.” He looked forward again and so did you. “I really should just start by apologizing for yelling at you.” He sighed and looked at his hands in a defeated way. “I had no right to do so.”  
“…It’s funny, I forgave you right after leaving the lair. I understood where you were coming from.” You sighed, and you could tell that Leo was a little shocked at your statement, but you weren’t through yet. “But at the same time, you’ve never yelled at me like that before. It really hurt.”  
“And that’s the last thing I wanted to do.” He said honestly as he placed a hand on your leg to get your attention, and you finally looked at him and you could tell he was really upset, but you had to keep yourself from swooning and falling for his beautiful blue eyes “I don’t want to lose you like Master Splinter just lost Karai.” You were taken out of your head immediately and gasped.  
“What, what do you mean? Is she—”  
“No, she’s not dead.” Leo said reassuringly, but he still didn’t seem happy over whatever happened. “But the Shredder got to her, lured us out with a trap she was in and then,” He paused briefly to breathe and you gripped his arm unintentionally. “She, she got mutated into some albino snake creature.”  
“Oh my god…” You gasped and let go of his arm. You placed your head into your hands and shuddered. “That’s all my fault.”  
“No, no it’s not!” Leo frantically reassured you. “You set her on the right path, she betrayed the Shredder. The mutation thing was an accident.” You looked up a bit at Leo, eyes starting to get red from tears still not falling and Leo put a hand on your shoulder again, and you didn’t shove him off. “She seemed happy to finally turn the tables on him.”  
“I still feel awful.” You sighed as you looked down at the space between you and Leo.  
“You shouldn’t.” He lifted your head up by your chin so you could look at him again and you slightly blushed at his gentleness. “None of this is your fault. You saved my family. Master Splinter was happy that you set Karai on the right path. He always said you had it in you to turn the worst people good.” You blushed more but you smiled at his kindness. You gave him a quick hug, which he accepted immediately.  
“Wish it was that easy for Shredder to turn over a new leaf.” You joked.  
“I don’t think he has any leaves to turn over.” Leo chuckled slightly. You smiled too and then you both looked ahead without saying anything for a beat. “So, are we okay now?” He asked nervously. You looked at him a little shocked, thinking the hug explained it all, but he really did look sorry. Another example of Leo being clueless to notions, romantic or not. “I never want to hurt you like I did ever again.”  
“Yeah, we’re okay.” You smiled and he finally sighs in relief. “I’m sorry you lost your chance at getting your girl.” Leo shot up and blushed red.  
“W-What do you mean?” He stuttered and you almost laughed at how cute he sounded but it wasn’t at your sake, it was at Karai’s.  
“I mean, you didn’t get to really be with Karai like you wanted.” You stated the obvious.  
“What are you talking about?” Leo gaped, and you gave him a funny look like ‘don’t you put on a facade for me.’ “I don’t like Karai.”  
“Uh, yeah, you do.” You gave a short laugh at his charade. “You usually don’t stop talking about saving her and getting her on our side.” You began to list but then Leo came in quick to respond.  
“I wanted to do that for Master Splinter, I wanted him to be reunited with his daughter again. That’s it.” Now it was your tun to gape at him.  
“Really?”  
“Yeah, besides.” He suddenly grabbed your hand that was resting on your lap. “I thought I lost my girl when you ran away.” You snapped your head up from looking at your hands to his face and your face felt as bright as a firetruck. Leo blushed red too and began stuttering again at your shock. “B-But if you don’t like me like that then I totally get it because we are so different—”  
“No, no!” You quickly grabbed his hand again that almost slipped away from you and he turned a brighter red too. You took a breath to finally get your feelings off your chest. “I do like you.” You smiled at how dumbfounded Leo looked and you cozied up to his shoulder as you twisted your arms around his arm. “I used to get, well, jealous whenever you talked about Karai. So I assumed you liked her.”  
“Really?” Leo asked in relative disbelief trying his best to look down at you without making you move from his side, since he was on cloud 9.  
“Yeah, really.” You smiled into his shoulder. Leo laughed a little in a flabbergasted way and then leaned a little back on the ledge and looked up at the sky.  
“We really need to work on communicating better with each other.” You almost snorted at how true that was. You decide to get off his shoulder and look at him.  
“Well, I think we’re on the right track now…” You cooed and he smiled at you dreamily. Subconsciously you leaned and you saw him blush and follow your lead and suddenly your lips met his in a tender kiss. He raised his hand that wasn’t entangled with yours to cup your cheek and you placed a hand on his plastron. You parted sooner than both of you wanted but you were both in disbelief and were very flustered.  
“Yeah, I’d say that’s a good start.” Leo breathed out happily.  
“Me too.” You smiled and quickly pecked his lips again, and letting your forehead touch his.  
“Oh jeez, not you too!” You both snapped out of your dreamy wonderland world you created with each other and turned around to see three boys barely containing themselves.  
“Guys?” Leo gaped once more, you following suit as his three bothers were grinning like idiots, Mikey with his T-phone.  
“Now we got another Donnie to worry about!” Raph complained.  
“Yeah, wait!” Donnie gawked at his brother as the two began to tussle as Mikey was laughing.  
“Ow!” Raph whined as they were fighting.  
“Gr…” Leo was about to get up and give them a piece of his mind but you pulled him back down to you and gave him a peck on the cheek.  
“Ignore them…” You sigh, and then get to close to his ear and whispered, “you can mess with them later.” You grinned evilly at him and he smirked in return and returned his forehead to yours.  
“Whatever you say.”

**Author's Note:**

> did you like? 
> 
> i have a huge soft spot for tmnt - and I've always been a leo girl lol
> 
> but if you want to see more leo/reader stuff let me know and if you have a scenario to suggest let me know and i might consider it (and give credit if/when i do use the scenario) :)


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